Area YMCA gets new wheels

News-Times, The (Danbury, CT), Brian Saxton

Published 12:00 am, Thursday, March 30, 2006

THE NEWS-TIMES

DANBURY - Children traveling to programs and field trips sponsored by the Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut are about to experience a new way of getting there.
Heeding recent federal warnings about potential hazards linked to passenger vans, the agency has ditched its own vans in favor of 14-seat minibuses.
"Nothing is more important than the safety of our children," president and CEO Gary Kozak said Wednesday as the agency's four new buses arrived at the
Boughton Street center
.
"We have been using 14-seater vans since 1983 and never had a problem," Kozak said.
Still Kozak
said the YMCA decided to trade in the vans for the new minibuses, which cost $40,000 each. The new purchases bring the YMCA fleet to six buses.
The agency serves 19 towns in greater Danbury and New York state and transports hundreds of children to programs and on field trips. The programs include before- and after-school activities
Kozak said the YMCA's policy switch was based in part on concern expressed by insurers over recent recommendations by the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
. Last year, for the third time since 2001, the NHTSA reissued a consumer advisory for 15-seat passenger vans that are very similar to the YMCA's 14-seaters.
One study showed that between 1990 and 2002, more than 1,500 vans were involved in crashes that killed 1,111 occupants.
Another study in 2005 revealed that 74 percent of all van owners oveinflated tires and that created a rollover risk. The study said heavily loaded vans also contributed to rollovers.
While federal law prohibits the sale of the small passenger vans for school-related transportation of high school and younger students, they can be used for transporting college students, users of non-profit groups such as the YMCA, and airport shuttles.
Elly Martin
, a spokeswoman for the federal highway traffic safety agency, welcomed the Regional YMCA's decision.
"We are delighted with the consciousness now spreading throughout the United States about the hazards associated with 15-seat passenger van driving," said Martin. "There have been too many serious, if not fatal, crashes associated with these vehicles."
Regional YMCA public relations director
Karin Blankschen
, said she hoped other Danbury area groups will consider making the change.
"I am sure there are many in our community still using the vans to transport children that may not be aware of the safety risks and may follow the YMCA's lead in keeping our children safe," said Blankschen.